Greysteel
Encyclopedia
Greysteel or Gresteel is a village
in County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. It lies 9 miles (14.5 km) to the east of Derry
and 7 miles (11.3 km) to the west of Limavady
on the main A2
coast road between Limavady and Derry, overlooking Lough Foyle
. It is designated as a Large Village and in the 2001 Census
it had a population of 1,229 people, an increase of almost 20% compared to 1991.
s of Gresteel More and Gresteel Beg. Historically these townlands were called Craisteele or Glasteele. The origin of Craisteele is uncertain, but Glasteele may be . The Placenames Database of Ireland
lists Glas-stiall as the Irish name of the village.
The Greysteel massacre
took place on 30 October 1993 when three members of the Ulster Freedom Fighters attacked a crowded bar with firearms, killing eight people. This was the only fatal incident of "the Troubles
" to occur in or near Greysteel.
is located 4 km to the west.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It lies 9 miles (14.5 km) to the east of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and 7 miles (11.3 km) to the west of Limavady
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
on the main A2
A2 road (Northern Ireland)
The A2 is a major road in Northern Ireland, a large section of which is often called the Antrim Coast Road because it follows the scenic coastline of County Antrim....
coast road between Limavady and Derry, overlooking Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle, sometimes Loch Foyle , is the estuary of the River Foyle in Ulster. It starts where the Foyle leaves Derry. It separates the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland from County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.-Transport:...
. It is designated as a Large Village and in the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
it had a population of 1,229 people, an increase of almost 20% compared to 1991.
History
The village lies mostly within the townlandTownland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
s of Gresteel More and Gresteel Beg. Historically these townlands were called Craisteele or Glasteele. The origin of Craisteele is uncertain, but Glasteele may be . The Placenames Database of Ireland
Logainm.ie
The Placenames Database of Ireland is the official database of Irish placenames, known as logainmneacha in Irish.-Background:Work began on the website in April 2007 between Fiontar, Dublin City University's Irish-medium Teaching & Research Unit, and The Placenames Branch to create a website in...
lists Glas-stiall as the Irish name of the village.
The Greysteel massacre
Greysteel massacre
The Greysteel massacre took place on the evening of 30 October 1993 in Greysteel, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Three members of the Ulster Defence Association , a loyalist paramilitary group, attacked a crowded pub with firearms, killing eight civilians and wounding thirteen...
took place on 30 October 1993 when three members of the Ulster Freedom Fighters attacked a crowded bar with firearms, killing eight people. This was the only fatal incident of "the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
" to occur in or near Greysteel.
Features
Until relatively recently, the village had limited local facilities, with a modest sized general shop, a few other retail units, a primary school, a Gaelic club with playing fields and several public houses. However, the recent construction of the Vale Centre, developed by Greysteel Community Enterprise, a local development group, includes a range of commercial/industrial units and playing fields and has improved the situation. A range of activities is available in the Centre, including an after school club, adult learning centre and sports facilities. Commercial facilities in the Centre, provide an opportunity for small business start-ups and a further 10 units are currently under construction. The village has grown considerably during the Post War period, mostly through new public sector housing up to the 1970s, and subsequently through considerable private housing development.Places of interest
- Nearby Faughanvale Old church dates back to the medieval period and is dedicated to Saint Canice.
Transport
The village is adequately served in terms of public transport and City of Derry AirportCity of Derry Airport
City of Derry Airport is an airport located northeast of Derry, Northern Ireland. It is located on the south bank of Lough Foyle, a short distance from the village of Eglinton and from the city centre...
is located 4 km to the west.
2001 Census
Greysteel is classified as a village by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with a population between 1,000 and 2,250 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,229 people living in Greysteel. Of these:- 25.4% were aged under 16 years and 11.7% were aged 60 and over
- 50.2% of the population were male and 49.8% were female
- 96.6% were from a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
background and 2.9% were from a ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
background - 0.8% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service